The function of leaves | Science | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

What is the name for this part of a plant?

'leaf' ✓
Which of these are leaves?

A ✓

B

C

D ✓
Plants need air, water, ______, warmth, room to grow and nutrients from soil to survive and grow.

'light' ✓
Which of these statements is incorrect?

We can see when there is air around us. ✓

There is air everywhere, inside and outside buildings.

We breathe air in when we inhale.
When we observe something we…

say what we think will happen to it.

choose a name for it.

look at it closely using our senses. ✓

put it away in the correct place.
Which of these statements is correct?

Plants can survive without water.

Plants are not living things.

Plants need to be given plant food by humans to survive.

Plants get many of the nutrients they need from the soil. ✓

Exit quiz

Many plants have roots, stems, ______ and flowers.

'leaves' ✓
What is the function of leaves on a plant?

to collect water

to attract insects

to make food for the plant ✓

to take in nutrients from the soil
Plants make food in their leaves using sunlight, carbon dioxide and ...

'water' ✓
A plant could survive and be healthy without…

water from the soil.

plant food from a human. ✓

light from the sun.

nutrients from the soil.
The function of leaves is to make food for the plant. What is the name for this process?

photosynthesis ✓

observation

growth

preparation
We can ______ a plant with its leaves removed over time to find out more about leaves and their function.

'observe' ✓

Worksheet

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Presentation

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Video

Lesson Details

Key learning points

Many plants have roots, stems, leaves and flowers.
Plants can make their own food. This happens in the leaves of a plant.
Plants make food in their leaves, using sunlight, carbon dioxide and water.
To investigate why plants have leaves, a plant with leaves removed can be observed over time.

Common misconception

Pupils may think that a plant’s leaves are for the collection of water, due to their shape and the way we often appear to pour water over the leaves when we water plants.

Use the lesson resources to explain that the function of the leaves is to make food for the plant.

Keywords

Leaf - A leaf is the part of a plant where the plant makes its food using the process of photosynthesis.
Function - The task that something has is its function.
Carbon dioxide - Carbon dioxide is a type of gas that is in the air around us.
Photosynthesis - The way in which plants make food in their leaves is called photosynthesis.
Observation over time - In an observation over time investigation, we observe and record how something changes over a period of time.